Quels effets de la frontière sur le travail frontalier des lorrains ?

Border Region

Greater Region, Lorraine

Language(s)

Français

Type

Note on a scientific paper, a conference paper, etc.

Main Category

Regional Development – Sustainability

Employment – Education – Economy

Theories – Concepts – Terms

Introduction

The authors consider the repercussions of the border on the different structural components of attitudes to border work and employment.

Summary

In recent years, border work has become a major social, economic and human phenomenon in many countries. The authors of this chapter analyze the situation of border workers in Lorraine – a region which has seen a great increase in the number of border workers in the past – to ask, "how does the border impact on the different structural components of attitudes to employment and to border work (salary, social protection, mobility, qualifications etc.)?" (p. 125). After introducing the issue in question along with any methodological aspects implicated in conducting such an analysis, the authors describe how the flow of border workers has developed in the Greater Region. The main body of the chapter consists in analysis of the spatial, institutional, and socioeconomic dimensions of the employment relationship and border work.

Content

In recent years, border work has become a major social, economic and human phenomenon in many countries. Rachid Belkacem, Monique Borsenberger and Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth analyze the situation of border workers in Lorraine – a region which has seen a great increase in the number of border workers in the past – to ask, "how does the border impact on the different structural components of attitudes to employment and to border work (salary, social protection, mobility, qualifications etc.)?" (p. 125).

Three principal dimensions of border work are suggested for the analysis of the effects of the border on employment. These are the geographic, institutional and political, and socioeconomic dimensions. Before presenting their analysis, the authors discuss methodological challenges such as the absence of standardized and harmonized statistical data, as well as the development of administrative definitions. The summary of the context of the study concludes with a description of the development in the flow of border workers in the Greater Region, along with details on the socioeconomic development in Luxembourg, Lorraine, and Saarland. Luxembourg is thereby described as "an island of prosperity with significant appeal for neighboring regions" (p. 129), whilst Lorraine and Saarland" have seen highly unstable economic and social development over the last few decades" (p. 130). Border work has not ceased to increase in the Lorraine region since the middle of the 1980s. Despite the fact that the flow of border workers to the Saarland has been always been greater, Luxembourg now attracts the greatest number of border workers from Lorraine (more than 60,000 people in 2008).

Contents

Introduction
1. Central issue and methodological aspects [Éléments de problématique et de méthodologie]
- 1.1 Elements of questioning [Éléments de questionnement]
- 1.2 Elements of the methodology [Éléments de méthodologie]
2. Border work at the heart of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux [Le travail frontalier au sein de la Grande Région Saar-Lor-Lux]
- 2.1 Imbrication of the different territories [Une imbrication des différents territoires]
- 2.2 Flows of border workers [Les flux de travailleurs frontaliers]
3. The border effect and the multiple dimensions of border work [L’effet frontière et les multiples dimensions du travail frontalier]
- 3.1 Spatial dimensions of border work [Les dimensions spatiales du travail frontalier]
- 3.2 Institutional dimensions of border work [Les dimensions institutionnelles du travail frontalier]
- 3.3 Socioeconomic dimensions of border work [Les dimensions socioéconomiques du travail frontalier]
Conclusion

Conclusions

The authors provide an analysis of the border effect and multiple dimensions of border work, including spatial, institutional and socio-economic dimensions. In terms of spatial dimensions, the authors analyze the distance between individuals’ home and place of work, their choice of where to live, and representations. They find that the appeal of the financial center in Luxembourg largely outstrips that of the border areas, and that areas of high employment in Luxembourg tend to follow major roads (traffic congestion at peak commuting times). There are two types of residential mobility: (1) the relocation of border workers to Luxembourg, (2) the residential mobility of border workers within their own country. Analysis of the institutional and political dimensions focusses on social protection, fiscalization, and workers’ political rights. The social protection which applies to resident workers and border workers is equal. Despite this, issues relating to the succession of different periods of insurance may arise. In addition, where border workers experience unemployment, they are often subject to the system of their country of residence. Border workers do not have the right to vote in their country of employment as this right is generally linked to the place of residence. The final dimension concerns socioeconomic factors such as variations in salary levels and qualitative adjustments. In the different countries which make up the Greater Region, it is the difference in net salaries in particular – which are much higher in Luxembourg – which explains the appeal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This is the result of policies which maintain low levels of taxation.

The authors conclude that the "rapid progression of border work has played a role in structuring the dynamics of development in border areas" (p. 142). New territorial forms are emerging: "dynamic poles" on one side of the border, and "dormitory areas" on the other.

Key Messages

The spatial dimensions of border work: the appeal of the financial center in Luxembourg outstrips that of the border areas, extension of areas of high levels of employment in Luxembourg which develop along major roads (traffic congestion at peak commuting times); two types of residential mobility can be seen: (1) border workers relocating to Luxembourg, (2) residential mobility of border workers in their own country.
The institutional dimensions of border work: in theory, the social protection which applies to resident workers and border workers is equal. Yet issues relating to the succession of different periods of insurance may arise. Where border workers are affected by unemployment, they are subject to the system in their country of residence. Border workers do not have the right to vote in their country of employment.
The socioeconomic dimensions of border work: in the different countries which make up the Greater Region, it is the difference in net salary in particular – which is much higher in Luxembourg – which explains the appeal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This is the result of policies which maintain low levels of taxation.
"The rapid increase of border work has played a role in structuring the dynamics of development in border areas" (p. 142). New territorial forms are emerging: "dynamic poles" on one side of the border, and "dormitory areas" on the other.

Lead

Rachid Belkacem, Monique Borsenberger and Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth

Links

http://www.lcdpu.fr/livre/?GCOI=27000100112910&fa=sommaire

Keywords

Institutional dimension